Dogs are getting lawyers. Cats are getting kidney transplants. Could they one day be fellow citizens? Cats and dogs were once wild animals. Today, they are family members and surrogate children. A little over a century ago, pets didn't warrant the meager legal status of property. Now, they have more rights and protections than any other animal in the country. Some say they're even on the verge of becoming legal persons. How did we get here, and what happens next? In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society, pet lover and award winning journalist David Grimm explores the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals

Dogs are getting lawyers. Cats are getting kidney transplants. Could they one day be fellow citizens? Cats and dogs were once wild animals. Today, they are family members and surrogate children. A little over a century ago, pets didn't warrant the meager legal status of property. Now, they have more rights and protections than any other animal in the country. Some say they're even on the verge of becoming legal persons. How did we get here, and what happens next? In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society, pet lover and award winning journalist David Grimm explores the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals

In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society, pet lover and award-winning journalist David Grimm traces the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals, from their wild origins to their dark days in the middle ages to their current standing as the most valued animals on Earth

Family. The pet republic ; Wolves and wildcats ; The rise of the pet ; Canine Einsteins -- Person. The eye of the storm ; The protected pet ; My cat is not a toaster ; Civil rights for pets -- Citizen. The perils of personhood ; Citizen Canine ; The meowist revolution ; The road ahead -- A brief history of cats and dogs